Avs Can’t Hold off the Sharks

The Colorado Avalanche didn’t start game six the way the wanted to, allowing an early goal by the San Jose Sharks. It didn’t end the way they wanted it to either.

The San Jose Sharks came out in the third with the Thornton line reunited and buzzing around the Avs’ net. It foreshadowed the future.

The Avs scored at 4:51 of the third to give them the lead in the game, but it wouldn’t last for long.

Suddenly the game opened up with back and forth play and lost whistles. Next thing you know Boyle scored, the puck inexplicably hitting no one on the way in despite the Avs crowding the lane.

Less than two minutes later Pavelski scored on a two on one when Adam Foote lost his check along the boards.

Douglas Murray ended the Avs season, scoring the second empty netter of the night with 31 seconds left in the game.

  

Just 47 seconds into the game the Sharks Joe Pavelski scored on a wrap-around when Kyle Cumiskey couldn’t control the Avs-killer behind the net. Pavelski scored four key goals in this series, more than any of the high dollar guys on the Sharks team.

That opening goal was the seventh unanswered goal by the Sharks.

The period, though scoreless, went well for the Avs in that they managed good pressure on the Sharks in their zone. And Avs fans were shocked to see that the Avs earned the first power play opportunity of the game. It did not result in a goal but the Avs kept the pressure on and controlled the puck well.

The Avs wrapped the period with a 7-10 shot disadvantage on the Sharks.

Building on a decent first period, the Avs hit the ice in the second with more confidence and attitude. After the first period the Avs were behind in hits but closed out the second ahead of the Sharks.

At the 6:14 mark of the second period Marek Svatos came screaming down the wing with Joe Thornton checking him. Svatos got the advantage to the inside and cut in front of the net for a very nice goal to tie things up. Many Avs fans have been hoping for the Marek Svatos scoring touch to return for, well, all season.

Way to end the season on a high note, now go away.

The Avs were again controlling the puck but were not getting much in the way of scoring chances. But the confidence was back and so was the attitude.

You could see it when Chris Stewart took exception to Nichol giving Cumiskey a little bit of a late hit on an offside. A 4-on-4 ensued that ended with a penalty on Liles. A ridiculous situation with the 240 pound Murray turning in an Oscar-winning performance of being pinned to the boards by the slight Johnny Liles.

I’ve got some sea-side real estate in Colorado to sell that referee.

Avs start and end season with the Sharks, though with different results.

The Avs had a great season, better that even most (reasonable) Avs fans expected. I don’t think you will hear any complaining in this town. Sure, some well meaning advice during the off-season but we are all looking forward to a great team in the future.

I’ll be covering them as we go forward so be sure to check back in!

Well, time to shave.

See ya ‘round Avs fans!

-From the Point

Game 5 - What was that?!?!?!?

               To be honest, I don’t even know where to begin with this.  I thought the Avs would come out flying tonight, or better yet, hoped they would.  Not so!  They only had two shots in the first period compared to the Sharks 12.  I don’t call that a good start to a game.  Although they did get 17 shots in the third period, a bit late in the game if you ask me.

                I won’t complain too much about the officiating although there are obviously some errors being made on calls.  I’m not saying the Avs don’t deserve some of these penalties but the whole melee with Hannan, Duchene and McGinn, that was pretty weak.  I get why Hannan got the penalty but why McGinn didn’t get more than two minutes blows my mind.  He obviously took a couple of swings at Duchene’s face; I don’t really call that roughing.  But... enough of that.

                

                My question is this “Where is the offense???".  The Avs have scored 9 goals in five games.  But 5 of those came in game 2 and one was technically scored by Boyle in his own net.  The top line of Stastny/Stewart/Galiardi has a combined point total of 1 in the last three games.  That’s only one assist by Stastny!!  When you’re the top line for a hockey team, they need you to be more productive.

                Maybe it’s time Sacco changed things up a little bit.  I know he put Tucker on the second line last night but I think that’s a lack of options more than anything.  I’m sure he’s scratching his head with the coaching staff today trying to find some way to revive this team.  Its do or die tomorrow night and something need to happen pretty darn fast.   Maybe put Duchene/Yip/Galiardi back together, they were pretty good when Sacco first put them together.

                One thing I did enjoy though, and I don’t really know why, is that the Sharks scored 5 goals and this is what the stats sheet looked like.

                Talk about not stepping up big Joe.  You had zero points when your team shows up and scored 5 and you only have 2 assists this whole series.  But than again, who could have seen this coming……..ehhh…..anyone from anywhere that’s followed hockey even a little bit in the past few years, that’s who!

                As for Anderson, you can’t be superman every night, you’re only human.  Shake it off and come back with a vengeance tomorrow night.

-Frenchy

Five for Fighting Monday - Playoff Edition

Shortly after the Olympics were over, Terry Frei at the Denver Post wrote about the lack of fighting in the Games. His point was that most fans probably didn’t miss it. Now that it’s playoff season we will see a significant drop in fighting versus the regular season. Frei has a problem with all the pre-planned fights, the “gotta go” fights between the guys that play a mere two minutes a game.

Well, I didn’t really miss it during the Olympics but that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t have been fun. I like fighting in hockey, it’s entertaining! You just can’t compare the NHL regular season to tournament hockey, as Frei does concede.

And I agree that some of the gratuitous regular season fighting is tiring. The problem is that if team A signs a slug that can’t skate but is 6-6, 250 pounds and can and WILL beat the crap outa your guys, team B is forced to return fire. Could it be better? Of course, but it’s really easy to say that about anything. If it was completely ruled out of the game I would miss it.

Ideally all teams would always have a bench full of guys that can actually play hockey. And I include guys like Ian Laperriere in that list. He is a responsible defensive forward and rock solid on the penalty kill. Scott Parker, not so much. Does Lappy drop ‘em on occasion to fire up his team? Of course he does. Eighty two games is a grind. Completely different from the win or go home stakes that are on the line in the Olympics and the playoffs.

Not that there isn’t ever fighting in the playoffs. Here is Joe Thornton dropping the gloves with Ryan Getzlaf in game six of last years first round match up. That was a great series to watch last year, very entertaining. Now despite all the talk preceding this game about how it was time for Thornton to take a stand I’m not sure anyone was expecting them to go at the opening face off.

So, was it contrived?

Was it planned?

Was it entertaining?

Well THIS is entertaining! Hehehe...er, lets hope the Sharks are the usual goldfish in the playoffs.

-From the Point